revivalproject | A homecoming of sorts

Entry tags:

A homecoming of sorts

WHO: Ezra, Luke, and anyone else around
WHERE: Temba Jedi Temple
WHAT: Ezra bringing Luke to the temple complex/mingle with residents and visitors
WHEN: Soon after Luke's arrival
WARNINGS: Discussion of canon levels of violence, maybe? Others added as needed

"We're pretty sure this used to be a museum," Ezra rambles as he leads Luke to the complex of bulidings Obi-wan had chosen to designate as the Jedi temple. "We packed up all the artifacts. And we're still working on actually making it, you know, nice. Obi-wan and I live here."

He pauses, debating his phrasing, but lands on going with how he'd describe the other Temple residents to anyone else.

"So does Padme and her twins, who are Force sensitive. Cal - he was a padawan at the end of the Clone Wars - has been here in Temba by far the longest, and he's pretty settled in his workshop, but he comes by to train and visit. Grogu's developmentally pretty young, so while Master Kenobi's taken him as a padawan - in front of the Council when we were on Coruscant and everything - he lives with his adoptive father."

***
Open Mingle

It felt good, bringing Luke here, but also really, really weird. They should be age mates, but they aren't, and besides, Ezra's gotten used to sharing living space with the infant version of Luke and Leia.

Still, he's glad that this version of Luke, who had talked about being alone, has a chance to meet more Jedi. To spend more time with some of his family, both of the Jedi variety and not. He's curious they'll all have to say to each other, but he resolves not to hover and eavesdrop.

Although as the afternoon goes on, he does try to make sure there's tea and snacks on hand.

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He's a little misty eyed when Luke approaches, but there's a smile. The Jedi tempted to throw his arms around him, but well, his arms are very full at the moment. Still cradling that mass of burning crystals.

The comment of him being so young draws a chuckle. "I admit I didn't think I would ever see you here, and certainly not so grown up."

Luke reaches out very carefully with his mechanical hand to try and take the crystals from Obi-Wan and to then set them carefully on the ground with every intention of following such an action up with a giant, bone crushing hug worthy of a wookie.

They’re heavy Luke, be careful! Realizing what he’s trying to do, Obi-Wan helps him lower them carefully to the ground. Because, you know, they’re sacred. The last thing he wants is to accidentally break them.

But once they’re on the ground, Obi-Wan moves to embrace him. Getting a more enthusiastic response from Luke than he was expecting. He laughs lightly ags tightens the hug. “You would think you hadn’t seen me in years,” he joked.

Luke is a little rough, like only soldiers and fighters tend to be, squeezing tight and hanging on. "I've never seen you so young and healthy and-"

It's been a long time since he could touch Ben. He saw him a few days before coming here. Ben gave him a lead on a possible ruin that might have escaped plundering by the Empire.

He squeezes again to chase off the thought. "It feels like a long time."

Obi-Wan let’s Luke hang on for as long as he likes, picking up on those wistful feelings through this bond that he hadn’t expected to come back to. But it wasn’t an unwelcome one.

“Are you saying I’m sick and old?” It’s a joke, but he realizes he probably is quite advanced in years by Luke’s time. But he hopes he’s there for him just as much as he intended to be for the baby he carried to Tatooine.

“I’m just sorry I don’t have the memories of our time together. Not yet anyway. You were just a baby lady I saw you. So I hope you will let me get to know you as the man you are now.”

A flash of memory, an older Ben looking over and smiling, raising his lightsaber as he turns away and waits for Vader to strike him down in a flash of red light and a shock of empty horror that Luke can't begin to explain feeling.

"I'd like that," is what he says instead.

Luke doesn’t have to explain, Obi-Wan feels something from him as it is. Enough to make the Jedi quiet for a moment or two.

“Come, help me put these crystals where they belong. Then we can talk over tea.”

Pulling away gently, he stoops down to pick up the glittering rock formation again.

"... what are they?" They don't look familiar, though his experience with Jedi things is fairly limited. They did not look like the holocrons he'd seen in passing.

“These are the healing crystals of fire,” Obi-Wan says as he lifts them carefully into his arms again.

“One of the greatest treasures of the Jedi Order.” He then pauses as he cradles them. A thought coming to mind as he looks at Luke. “Though I suppose you never would have heard of them? They might not even exist anymore.”

A sobering thought as he starts walking towards the tall building in the middle of the temple grounds.

"No." He's never heard of them. Not in the slightest. "Are they naturally grown?"

“Yes. It’s said they’re from the Torragan Mountains of Aurea. A gift from the Soulworks Collective Advisory Council. That was a long time ago though.”

Long enough that some were not certain if that story was accurate.

“And then suddenly they appeared here. I woke up to them under my head this morning.”

It's probably very obvious that Luke doesn't know what that is or where that is or who they are.

"... that happen a lot here?"

“Every now and then,” Obi-Wan says as they walk.

“I can only assume it’s the Agrii who enjoy leaving us gifts from time to time. The last one they left me is in her stall at the moment.”

"... uuh?" In her stall?

Obi-Wan chuckles and glances back at Luke.

“That’s right. I hope you at least know what a Varactyl is.”

"They're... native to Utapau?" He thinks he's heard of them at least. He's never had cause to go to Utapau.

“That’s right. Though there are some subspecies that were introduced to other worlds long ago, such as Pijal and Kashykk.”

Obi-Wan is very fond of the animals.

"You'll have to introduce us. Animals have always liked me, I don't know why. I guess because I like them."

It's amazing what you don't know when you're raised on a moisture farm with no concept of what 'Jedi' is.

“Of course. I’m sure she would be happy to meet you as well. She’s a good girl, that Boga.”

There’s no lack of fondness in his voice as he says that. Those his attention is returned ahead of him as they come up to the tall but narrow building. A small tree with shimmering golden leaves having been planted in front of its entrance. One that Luke would feel was strong in the Force.

Luke veers towards it, hand reaching out. "Is this from the great tree at the heart of the Temple?" He had recovered the two surviving shards from the Empire, but they were young, very young and yet to take on the golden colours of the healthy plants.

“Yes, that’s right,” Obi-Wan says, a bit surprised that Luke knew what it was.

“This is a fresh cutting from that tree. We brought it back from our Agrii sanctioned trip to Coruscant.”

It looked like a twig at this point, which it essentially was, but it was thriving. Thanks to the spot they placed it in and the care it was receiving.

Luke strokes the leaves softly, listening to the familiar song. "Back home, I found out the Emperor had kept a fragment of the tree alive, in a lab. I went in with a rebellion pilot, Shara Bey, Green squadron."

He looks back at Obi-Wan. "I found two. Two living, healthy fragments."

The thought that the great tree was destroyed save for a few pieces to be put in a lab was a very sad one. It was always distressing to hear how bits of Jedi culture were systematically destroyed. All in an attempt to wipe them off the face of the galaxy. So much history just gone so quickly.

That story though rings a few bells.

"Do you know Poe Dameron? He told me something similar. That his parents acquired a piece of the tree and he grew up with it. In fact it was his idea to bring this back. I agreed on the condition that it would be planted here, though he's welcome to come visit it any time."

Obi-Wan paused as he thought about that.

"Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen him here since we planted it. I wonder why that is."

Luke thinks. "Dameron. Kes Dameron was with one of the strike forces. He was married to Shara Bey who- Oh. Yes. I gave Shara one of the trees to plant on Yavin. They had a toddler, but I don't think I ever met the baby. I told her she shouldn't feel guilty about stepping down from active service. We fought to give people freedom to live their lives."

“Well that toddler is all grown up and here it seems. You should seek him out. I’m certain Poe would love to meet you.”

Obi-Wan then proceeded to move away from the tree, carrying the crystals with him as he moved through the door of the tall building. Stepping onto the platform and setting them on a table at its center. Several cushions placed around the table on the large pedestal. Clearly this was a place of meditation.

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